Asian Games: Esha Singh wins silver in women's 25m pistol
What's the story
India's Esha Singh won the silver medal in the women's 25m pistol event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The final was closely contested, with Esha and China's Xiao Jiaruixuan both scoring 38 hits. However, after a series of shoot-offs, Xiao emerged victorious while Esha secured her place on the podium with her impressive performance. Meanwhile, India's double Olympic medalist missed out on a spot in the final round.
Medal path
Tough battle for third place
Esha's journey to the podium included a tough battle with Kim Hyon Suk for third place after the elimination round.
The Indian shooter had to go through three shoot-offs against her Korean rival before securing her spot on the podium.
She then faced Xiao in two more shoot-offs to decide gold and silver medals, respectively.
Shooting skills
Esha's impressive final series
Esha started the final on a strong note, scoring 5, 4, and 3 in her first three series. She then added 4, 4, 3, 3, 5, 3, and 4 in the remaining seven series.
Despite missing a medal in the women's team event earlier today, with India finishing fifth at these Games, Esha's individual silver medal is a major boost for India's shooting contingent.
Information
Who is Esha Singh?
Hailing from Hyderabad, Esha Singh is the incumbent ISSF World No. 1 in the women's 25m pistol. She holds the senior world record score of 43. She has five Asian Games medals, including a gold, and multiple ISSF World Cup golds.
Information
What about Manu Bhaker?
Meanwhile, Manu Bhaker finished her 2026 Asian Games campaign without a medal after competing across four women's shooting events. She finished fifth in the women's 10m air pistol final and 11th in the women's 25m pistol individual qualification.